True Love's Gifts
by nattieb
Summary: It is the Doctor's first Christmas in Pete's World and he is determined to make it one that Rose will remember.
1. Chapter 1

Well Heather and I decided that it was time that we write something again and ladyofgallifrey strongly hinted that we take on this prompt from the December Christmas Carol-a-thon on LJ Though the original title was quite long and ended abbreviated up being ISIDGYAGAYWWTANIFTNTMUFTBDEARODF, the inspiration of this song is the 12 Days of Christmas. Because of this there will be one chapter a day from now until January 6th! Enjoy! And Heather, thanks!

**Christmas Morning**

All was quiet in the Tyler household on Christmas morning, except for the jiggling of a key in the lock of the front door and mumbled swearing in some distant language by the person doing the jiggling. For about the hundredth time since being left on this parallel Earth two months ago, the Doctor thought to himself that he really needed to make a new sonic screwdriver. Keys are just so… primitive. Jackie enjoys berating him about his inability to cope without his "fancy gadgets", but the Doctor secretly thinks that Jackie purposely gave him a faulty key just because she likes teasing him about his new half-human existence.

With a sigh of relief, he finally got the key to sit right and unlocked the door, slowly pushing it open and stepping into the warm and expansive front hall of the Tyler's home. He quietly set down the large bag he'd been carrying and then took off his heavy winter coat and scarf (this human body just didn't adapt to climate changes the way his fully Time Lord one had, but he'd found he quite liked the puffy warmth of a heavy down coat) and hung them in the front closet. He stood still for a moment to listen for noises from within the large mansion. He was surprised to discover that the house was completely silent. Not even little Tony was awake. It's Christmas morning! What's wrong with these people?

"Rose?" He called, though not very loudly. Hopefully he was being just loud enough to catch her hearing if she was awake, but not loud enough to wake her if she was still sleeping. When he didn't get a response, he went through the rest of the family. When he was greeted only by continued silence, he decided to just go sit in the living room and wait for them. Rose had told him that the family always got up early on Christmas morning and it was already 5:15 am so the Doctor assumed that they had to be getting up soon.

He walked into the living room and flopped down onto the long couch in the room, turning his body so he could stretch his legs out along the length of the furniture. He flung his right arm over the back cushion and leaned his head back on the arm. Turning his head to look at the lights on the Christmas tree, he quickly found himself lost in reflections of the madness that his life had been in the past couple of months.

Adjusting to this human life was turning out to be a much more difficult process than he would have guessed at the outset of this new adventure. He had argued with his original self that day in Norway that he was not the monster his other self made him out to be. But he'd quickly had to admit that, while his actions had saved the universe, he had done a monstrous thing and it was lingering in his soul. He had found himself to be easily frustrated and quick to anger in those first few days after being left here.

And that had turned out to be a Very Bad Thing when Rose was also dealing with her own turmoil of emotions over the events of that day. She loved him for being able to say the words that his original self had never been able to bring himself to speak, he knew she did. But he was also acutely aware of the fact that she'd been left with something less – no, not less, different – than what she'd intended. And despite being even more brilliant and fantastic than she'd been when she'd been taken from him, it was a lot for her to deal with. Combine her turmoil with his short temper and inner demons, and it had been a very rocky road indeed. But they were working at it. Because she loves him, and he loves her. He thought that his saying those words to her every day was sometimes the only thing that kept them from giving up on each other on some of those darkest early days.

And he did love her. He'd loved her for years, even before he'd had this body. He chuckled to himself mirthlessly. His original self had been such an idiot to never tell her, to never let himself have that with her – words spoken and out there for all to know. She'd known it; they both knew it, but it was something entirely different to share the words with each other. And he actually felt a bit sorry for his original self that he never let himself know how amazing that feels.

Things between him and Rose were looking up, though. They'd seemed to cross a bridge in the last couple of weeks. The creation of his fake identity had finally been completed, which had allowed him to finally start working and earning his own living. That alone had gone a long way to curb his frustration and temper. He hadn't liked living on the Tyler's charity during the weeks it had taken to create the necessary history and documentation. He'd decided to take on a teaching profession and was thoroughly enjoying his brand new post as a junior faculty member at London University.

He'd rented his own flat and was finally able to take Rose out on proper dates, where he paid. The positive change in his attitude had resulted in a positive change in their relationship, including talk of their future together, which had motivated the Doctor to make big plans for Rose's Christmas. He'd had to borrow some money from Pete to make it all come together, but now that he was working he'd have that paid back in just a few months' time. He couldn't help smiling as he thought to himself that he was starting to get quite good at this whole mortgage and carpets thing.

He heard a shuffling of feet in the foyer and shot up from his supine position, ready to greet Rose with an enthusiastic hug and Christmas kiss. Instead, he about made poor little Tony jump out of his skin in surprise.

"Doctor!" he squeaked in alarm just as the Doctor said, "Tony!"

"How long have you been down here?" Tony asked, collecting himself and coming to sit by him on the couch.

He glanced at his watch before replying. "About an hour already. Rose told me you all get up early on Christmas morning." Tony quirked an eyebrow at him in a way that uncannily mimicked Jackie's own habit. And just as it did when Jackie looked at him that way, the Doctor felt the need to defend himself. "What? I didn't want to be late. She should have been more specific."

If it was possible, Tony's eyebrow arched even higher. Then he laughed out loud and gave the Doctor a big hug around the legs. He hugged the boy back, feeling a bit confused.

Tony pulled back and grinned at the Doctor. "They'll be down soon. You get Rose a present?"

Now it was the Doctor's turn to grin. "Yes, I did!" He reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a simple white envelope with Rose's name written across the outside.

Tony's grin fell into a frown. "That's it?"

"Oi!" The Doctor defended. "You don't know what's in here. She's gonna love it. I've put a lot of planning into this.

Tony looked at him dubiously.

"Stop looking at me like that." The Doctor couldn't help reprimanding. He handed the envelope out to him. "Go put this under the tree for me, please."

Tony obliged, all the while looking at the envelope with an expression nearing pity. The Doctor could have sworn he'd heard the boy mutter something about hoping his gift from the Doctor wasn't an envelope too. He'd been about to launch into a story about how great Tony's gift was when Jackie and Pete entered the room, followed closely by Rose.

Everybody was still in their pajamas and dressing gowns, and looking a bit sleepy, but smiling and looking forward to spending Christmas morning together. They all looked quite surprised, just as Tony had, to see the Doctor there already.

"Good morning, Jackie! Pete!" The Doctor said, greeting them each with a hug in turn. "Happy Christmas!"

Without even waiting for a response from them, he continued onto Rose, who was looking at him with suppressed mirth and a laughing twinkle in her eye. He swept her up in a giant hug, lifting her off the ground, before leaning back to give her a thorough kiss that was broken only when Jackie not so subtly cleared her throat. He pulled back and looked Rose in the eyes. "Merry Christmas, Rose."

Rose grinned in that way, with the tip of her tongue peeking from the side of her mouth, that made him weak in the knees. "Merry Christmas, early bird. I didn't expect you here so early."

Tony answered before the Doctor could. "He's been here for over an _hour_ already!"

Rose looked at the Doctor in amusement. The Doctor smiled back a bit sheepishly. "You'd said your family gets up early on Christmas Day. I didn't want to be late."

"Well, since we're all here already," Jackie's voice interrupted, "we may as well get right to the presents."

The Doctor looked back at Rose and flashed his manic grin. "You're gonna love your gift!"

***

Rose had found it unsurprising to learn that the Doctor had rather messy handwriting, but with a bit of effort and study she had learned how to decipher it. Looking at the envelope he'd handed her, she presumed that he had purchased her a gift certificate, and she wouldn't have minded if he had. She was well aware that such human traditions as Christmas gifts were a completely foreign idea to him. When she opened the card and found nothing inside but more messy writing, she started to get a bit confused. She wasn't a materialistic person, but he'd led her to believe that she was getting a gift. Reminding herself that having him here with her and loving her, even without the time travel, was gift enough, she read the note he had written inside.

_When the doorbell rings at 2:00 pm tomorrow, be sure that you're the person to answer the door._

_Merry Christmas, Rose Tyler._

_Love, Your Doctor_

Rose paused for only a moment before flipping to the back of the card looking for the rest. The back of the card was blank. She looked over to the Doctor, seeking clarification, but he was engrossed in helping Tony put together his toy zeppelin and airfield.

Deciding that Tony's zeppelin could wait a moment she called to the Doctor and beckoned him over to her.

"What is this?" Rose asked him, trying not to sound disappointed.

The Doctor looked at her blankly. "It's your Christmas card."

"I can see that." Rose said with patience. "But it's empty. I thought you said my gift was in here." She shook the card a little to emphasize its emptiness.

The Doctor grinned at her, but it wasn't the manic grin she'd seen countless times all those years ago. This was a different grin, much more subdued but slightly more dangerous in the way that it indicated that he knew something devastatingly important that she didn't know. Rose supposed this new grin was from Donna. She wasn't exactly sure she liked it.

"No," the Doctor said, lifting his hand to run his fingers gently through Rose's hair, "I said that the instructions for receiving your gift were in there. And they are."

Rose started to ask what this cryptic message was supposed to mean, but the Doctor cut her off.

"Tomorrow. Two o'clock. And that's all I'm saying." He kissed her forehead and then turned his attention back to Tony, diving into an enthusiastic explanation of the design flaws of the most recent economy-class zeppelins.

.


	2. Chapter 2

**First Day of Christmas**

There were days Rose wondered how she got here. Her life since she had met the Doctor was nothing but one adventure after the other. Because of him she had gained a father, a brother, a universe, a career, a life, and now she had him. She had more than she had ever wanted and more than she had ever dreamed of and it was all thanks to the Doctor.

There were days over the past two months where she'd wondered if the choice she had made on the beach that day had been the correct one. There had been dark days, days of tears and sorrow and regret. But somehow she and the Doctor had clung on to their belief in one another and a hope for brighter days ahead.

Those days finally seemed to have arrived. He was happy. She was happy. They were happy. Rose was beginning to wonder if it was too early to move forward in their relationship. She knew the tabloids had made much ado about nothing over their "whirlwind love affair", and it had been the source of many early arguments between the pair. There had been an onslaught of speculation when he had moved out of the mansion. But when she and the Doctor had continued as normal, the hype had soon died down. Rose wondered briefly what the reporters would think if they found out that she had been given a card with a cryptic note in it for Christmas. The word 'pauper' might surface again, and that was one fight she was not anxious to repeat.

Still, the card held a mystery that was unique to the Doctor. In all the years they had travelled together there had never even been a card, much less a card with the promise of a gift to follow. She wondered with slight horror and giddy anticipation just what would be waiting on the other side of the door when the bell rang at two.

She checked her watch; it was already 2:05. Normally she wouldn't be the least bit put off by the delay, but her Doctor was extremely… punctual. The fact that he was five minutes late caused her to worry. She had expected him to be over early on Boxing Day, to spend the day with her and her family before the larger party that night. But he had told her that he had things to do and cryptically hinted that it had to do with her gift, so she had let it go and had spent the morning helping her mother organize everything for this evening. This afternoon though, as well as the rest of the evening, were going to be for her and her Doctor.

The doorbell finally rang at 2:08. A small smile graced Rose's lips and she open the door preparing to greet him with a small scolding. Her smile dropped when she noticed the person behind the door wasn't the Doctor, but instead a green-clad, slightly disgruntled delivery worker holding a gigantic gift basket of bananas.

Rose stared in shock. Certainly this is not what the Doctor had meant by 'make sure you are the one who answers the door at two'.

"You Rose Tyler?" the voice was gruff and annoyed and Rose took an instant dislike to the man.

"Yes," she responded, looking at him questioningly.

"I've got a truck load of these for you. Some daft man ordered a tree load of bananas, said we needed to deliver them to you today."

Well that certainly explained why he seemed upset. His van had to be full of these over-sized baskets. Thinking that this was just like her Doctor, Rose stifled the urge to giggle. A van load of bananas -- what was she going to do with them all? Imagining the house covered in banana baskets, she lost her fight with the giggles and her laughter pealed through the house.

The delivery man stared at her a bit nervously, as if he was beginning to think her just as daft as the Doctor, which only made her laugh harder.

"Rose, what's going on?" Jackie's voice came from the dining room to the entry way. "The Doctor here?"

Despite her best efforts, Rose wasn't able to answer her through the laughter. When her mum entered the foyer and gave her a questioning look, Rose simply gestured to the door and continued laughing. She heard her mother let out a guffaw when the situation was explained and she instructed the delivery man to pull around to the back, and unload the baskets in the kitchen.

"Oh, Mary is going to skin that man alive when he shows up tonight. The kitchen pantry is already overflowing with food for the holiday parties."

Rose, finally free of the giggles, turned to her mum. "You have to admit this is one… interesting gift."

"This? This is your Christmas gift?!" Jackie's voice was unbelieving and amused at the same time.

"Looks like it," Rose said smiling, fingering the basket that the delivery man had brought to the front door insisted on leaving there.

"A van full of bananas?" she asked incredulously.

"Well, they are full of potassium," Rose deadpanned.

Jackie simply looked at her and shook her head, "I swear I will never understand the two of you. Quite the pair you are."

Rose smiled as she listened to her mother walk back to the kitchen muttering about the escapades that her daughter and the Doctor had shared.

Rose reached for her mobile and punched in the Doctor's number.

When he answered, she didn't even wait for the hello before she started speaking. "You bought me a bunch of bananas."

"Oh, excellent. They arrived then?" She could tell from his tone that he was grinning from ear to ear.

"Mum's having them put in the kitchen. Oh, and I'd avoid Mary if I were you tonight. Mum mentioned something about her likely skinning you alive."

"I'll make note of that," he said with mock concern.

There was silence on both ends. Rose wondered what she should say. Was she to thank him for the strange gift? She probably should. If nothing else it gave her endless teasing material for the next few years.

"What did you think of the card?" His voice was tentative as it broke the silence.

Rose looked at the basket still with her and noticed the slightly misshapen card tucked away in the bananas.

"I haven't opened it yet."

"Open the card, Rose." His voice had taken on a lower tone and she felt herself shiver slightly in anticipation. She could imagine how he would look saying those words to her -- his eyes dark, his expression serious.

She reached for the card and opened it. A CD was the reason that the card had been misshapen. She set the CD aside and opened the card. Smiling at the messy scrawl she began to read.

_On the First day of Christmas the Doctor gave to me a tree-full of bananas and a Partridge Family CD. _

Rose smiled as she glanced down at the CD. It was indeed the Partridge Family. She giggled a little and listened to the Doctor take a sharp breath through the phone.

Concerned that he had gotten the wrong idea at her laughter, she quickly added, "Weren't you supposed to get me pears?" Her voice was teasing and light and she hoped it helped to calm his concern.

"Pears?" he questioned in mock disgust, "Rose Tyler, do you know how awful pears actually are?"


	3. Chapter 3

**The Second Day of Christmas**

Rose stretched out on the bed and wondered how much longer she could stay beneath the covers. The Vitex party had been a success the night before despite many of the guests leaving a bit befuddled by the "party favor" of a lovely giant gift basket of bananas.

The party had stretched into the early morning hours and Rose had finally dragged herself to bed at 3:00 am. She had asked the Doctor to stay at the mansion rather than drive the twenty minutes back to his flat, but as she had known he would, he refused. He had sent her a text message, though, letting her know that he had arrived home safely and that he would see her in a few hours.

That had been at least seven hours ago. Seven hours surely qualified as "a few" to the Doctor's mind. It was well past ten now, which meant she should probably make herself get up from the warm and snuggly huddle of her blankets.

She had no warning -- she had been so lost in thought she hadn't even heard the door open -- and was caught quite off guard as a small body slam into hers and heard the chuckle of someone else from the doorway.

"Rose, are you awake yet?" Her little brother asked from atop her.

She let out a muffled, "I'm up" and struggled to push Tony off her.

"I think she is up and I thank you for your service, Master Tyler. Now, hurry back downstairs before your mum comes looking for you."

She felt the Doctor lift Tony off her as he spoke and Rose drew in a deep breath. She poked her head out of the covers and watched as Tony scampered out of the room, still clad in his rocket pajamas. Tony safely out of the room she turned to the other occupant and returned his grin with a stern look.

"Could you think of no better way of waking me then having a four year old jump on me?"

He leaned toward her, his face drawing a hair's breadth away from hers. "Oh, I can think of several better ways of waking you," he said, his voice low. He looked for a moment as if he might show her one of the ways, but then he just smiled impishly and continued speaking. "But I am pretty sure Jackie wouldn't appreciate at least half of them."

She leaned forward and kissed him gently before drawing back.

"And why are you up so early this morning?" she whispered, trying to hold on to this moment.

"Got something for you." he whispered.

"Really?" She leaned back against the pillows and examined his face. His expression was serious, yet touched with love. It took all her control not to pull him down to her and snog him until they were both breathless.

"Oh yes," he said, and she could tell from his tone that his thoughts weren't dissimilar from her own.

She reached for his tie, hoping to drag him forward and follow through on her thoughts. He let himself be pulled toward her and as she leaned up to kiss him again he bounded off the bed and gave her a mischievous grin.

"But first," he said moving towards the door, "you need to get dressed. Meet me downstairs in 20 minutes." Then with one last parting smile he dashed out the bedroom door, closing it behind him.

Twenty minutes later a showered and dressed Rose Tyler made her way downstairs to the family's kitchen, determined to have a cup of tea before she let the Doctor drag her anywhere. She heard his voice along with Tony's coming from the living room. They were discussing the finer aspects of super powers, Tony insisting that flying was the true superhero power while the Doctor tried to persuade him that power over time was superior. Smiling, Rose continued on her way to the kitchen . The first thing she noticed when she entered the room were two boxes each containing a turtle-shaped chocolate on the kitchen table. Rose shook her head in bafflement, wondering who had gifted her parents such a unique gift. But as she passed the table headed for the stovetop, she noticed the card sitting on top, her name scrawled on the front of the envelope.

She opened the card, her mind in a whirl. What game was the Doctor playing? Bananas and now strangely shaped chocolate? She wasn't sure quite what to think.

The note was as cryptic as the last two had been but the post script made her smile.

_On the second day of Christmas the Doctor gave to me two Dove turtles._

_P.S. Just so you know, the ladies at the confectionary were quite put out when I explained that I wanted two turtle-shaped chocolates made out of Galaxy bars. Kept insisting that there was no such thing as Galaxy chocolate. I tried to inform them that you and I were there when the first Galaxy bar was made, but they just shook their heads. So you had to settle for Dove, sorry my love. Now grab a cuppa and come and join Tony and me – I promised your mum we'd watch him today._

She wondered if she should tell him that a Dove Bar was the same thing as a Galaxy Bar here, something that she had discovered very early in her life in this universe, but let it go. She was sure the women had been more confused about his instance on turtle-shaped chocolates. Just what was he playing at?

She read the note again, this time carefully scanning the words and hoping for a hint of some kind. This note started out the same way as yesterday's cryptic message. Second day of Christmas? Surely he didn't intend to give her… he couldn't be planning that, could he? Maybe he could.

It was quite possible, she thought, that the Doctor wasn't as horrible at gift giving as he had led her to believe. In fact, she decided with a grin, he might be positively brilliant at it.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Third Day of Christmas**

Rose swore as she carried two overflowing bags of groceries from her car to the back door of the house. It was pouring rain and she really couldn't fathom why her mother couldn't wait two hours for the rain to stop to send her out to the store. But Mum had been adamant that she needed the biscuits, milk, bread, and candies for Tony immediately, and that Rose had to be the one to go get them.

Her anger at her mum was mollified when her mum met her at the door with a dry towel and a somewhat sympathetic expression. "Oh, Rose," she coddled as she took the bags and began emptying them onto the counter and into the refrigerator, "you're soaked through. Dry your hair a bit and then go upstairs and change. I'll put the kettle on."

"I'm freezing, Mum," Rose complained as she peeled her coat off and tossed it over the back of one of the chairs in the kitchen. Jackie tutted and looked pointedly at the coat rack by the door; Rose ignored her. She leaned against the kitchen counter and continued speaking, "I'll just wait here until the tea is ready."

"No!" Jackie blurted out a bit too strongly. Rose arched an eyebrow at her. Jackie tried to recover quickly, but Rose was already suspicious. "I mean," Jackie continued, "no, I'll bring the tea up to you. You're shivering. You'll catch your death if you don't get upstairs and into dry clothes."

Rose scrutinized her mother for a moment. Jackie had never been the best secret-keeper and, as she watched her mother shift uncomfortably under her gaze, Rose decided that her mum definitely was up to something.

"What's going on, mum?" she asked a bit impatiently, not being in the best mood for games.

"Oh, just get out there already," Jackie huffed as she reached an arm around Rose and pushed her toward the doorway into the main entryway of the house. Rose took the hint and, sighing, headed into the entryway. As she was leaving the room, she heard her mum mutter, "I told him I'm rubbish at this stuff."

Rose grinned with a small feeling of triumph. She knew her mother was up to something and, as tempted as she was to stay and pester her mother about it, she decided to play along. As she approached the stairs she stopped in her tracks and her grin turned to one of surprised. Sitting on the fifth riser of the stairs was the Doctor, looking a bit smug and pleased with himself. Resting at the base of the stairs was an overnight bag.

"That's my overnight bag," Rose noted.

"Reason number 974 why I love you, Rose Tyler," the Doctor quipped as he stood up and walked to embrace her. "Your brilliant powers of observation."

"Shut it, you," Rose laughed as she swatted him on the arm. "Why is it down here?"

The Doctor stepped a few inches away from her, dramatically shaking water off his hands as he did so. Rose scowled at him, though not very seriously. He smirked back at her in a way that made her blush before he replied.

"Why else do you need an overnight bag? We're going on a bit of a trip." As he was speaking, he reached down and pulled an envelope from an exterior pocket of the bag. His expression grew very solemn as he handed it to her.

Rose stood on her toes and gave him a brief kiss as she took the envelope from him. This envelope was larger than the previous ones had been – longer and a bit heavier as well. She looked quizzically at the Doctor, but his expression was carefully neutral.

She opened the envelope and pulled out the card. As she opened it and saw what was inside, she took an involuntary step back in surprise. She looked back to the Doctor, mouth agape, and saw a pleased smile draw across his face.

"You like it?"

"I love it! I've always wanted to go but have never made the time." Feeling a bit like an over-excited schoolgirl, Rose bounced on the balls of her feet.

She looked back down at the envelope and card in her hands. Inside the card were two tickets for two nights in Paris. Lifting the tickets out of the card, Rose read the Doctor's note for the day:

_On the third day of Christmas, the Doctor gave to me: three days away in the City of Lights, aka Paris._

Her grin was starting to make her cheeks hurt, but she didn't care. She moved to give the Doctor a crushing hug, but he held up his hands to stave her off.

"Not that I don't appreciate your excitement but, A, you're soaking wet and I'd prefer to stay dry; B, as you'll note from the tickets, our zeppelin leaves in 90 minutes, so you need to get upstairs and changed into dry clothes; and 3 – I mean C – I have to go thank Jackie for getting you out of the house so I could pack your bag."

"I knew it! I am so going to give her a piece of my mind!" Rose exclaimed, turning to head back into the kitchen. But the Doctor grabbed her arm and stopped her, pulling her to him for a thorough snog that left Rose breathless. Rose kept her eyes closed as he pulled away, enjoying the lingering feeling of his lips on hers, and sighed when the Doctor whispered in her ear, his voice a bit husky.

"She was doing me a favor. Forget about her and go get changed so we can go. Paris, Rose. The most romantic city in the world." He paused for a beat. "Welllll, this world at least."

He took a step back from her and playfully swatted her bottom. "Chop, chop, Miss Tyler. We have a zeppelin to catch. I'll get a travel thermos of tea for you and meet you in the kitchen."

Rose grinned at him again before turning and running up the stairs. As she hastily showered and dressed in dry clothes, she decided that the Doctor really was brilliant at giving gifts and she couldn't wait to see what he has planned for them in Paris.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Fourth Day of Christmas**

"No Jake, listen to me." Rose interrupted him yet again, trying to explain to her upset co-worker that she wasn't in London at the moment. " I'm not home. I am nowhere near home. I'm….Jake, will you just listen already?"

Rose rolled her eyes dramatically, more for the Doctor's amusement, and mouthed that Jake was upset.

The Doctor quirked his left eyebrow at her and she shrugged, returning to her conversation with her friend and coworker.

"Jake, we can't come in to work," she repeated again, this time with desperation.

"Look Rose, I know that you two are working things out and I know that Pete gave you the time off, but I really need you on this team." He sounded desperate and she felt a twinge of guilt that the Doctor had talked Pete into giving her three days off. Christmas never seemed to be a time of solitude and peace at Torchwood.

"Jake," she sighed, wondering if maybe they could catch a zeppelin home and cut this magnificent weekend short.

She was about to suggest this to the Doctor when her mobile was taken out of her hands. She looked at him in shock and with a bit of anger, but his words soon soothed her wrath. "Look Jake, it's the Doctor. Rose and I aren't coming in." Pause. "I understand that, Jake, but Rose and I aren't in London. We aren't even in the country." Pause. "You don't need to know that, Jake." Rose could tell the Doctor's irritation with the conversation was growing, his voice was becoming more clip. "Jake, just talk to Pete about this, he cleared the time off. We'll see you in two days." Before Jake could reply, the Doctor snapped Rose's phone off.

"No more distractions," he said, firmly taking her hand and moving them back down the street.

"No more distractions," she replied effortlessly.

They moved down the street making their way through the crowded throngs of pedestrians. Rose had thought that they were out for a quick stroll, just a bit of meandering, but the Doctor seemed intent on arriving somewhere. He had pulled her away from shop windows when she stopped to glance in; he had gotten irritated when she took a phone call from her mother, just a quick check-in; and then the phone call from Jake seemed to push him past his patience.

Just what was he up to?

It was nearing noon and she was getting hungry. Dare she mention stopping at a café? He still seemed so agitated after the conversation with Jake and she had a feeling that, if she let him, she would be treated to a diatribe of the evils of work, Torchwood, and co-workers -- not necessarily in that order.

She pulled on his hand and stopped, knowing that he would stop with her.

"What Rose, we're going to be late." His voice was sharp and full of agitation, as he stopped and turned to face her. Her first instinct was to fight back, to let her own frustration with the Torchwood call and with his attitude to rise up. But she had learned quite a bit the past two months, and she knew how to pick her battles now.

"Hey," she said, her voice soft, as she moved her free hand up to cup his face.

He instinctively leaned into the touch and shut his eyes. Her hand then smoothed out the worry lines that had seemed to appear there in the past five minutes. "It's okay. We aren't going home. These few days are about you and me."

"But you thought about going home." He sounded like a petulant child and Rose fought back a smile.

"For about a nanosecond," she said, and leaned up to place a small brief kiss on his lips. "Rather be here with you, not that Jake's offer of chasing aliens through an abandoned warehouse didn't sound enticing," she teased.

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her again. Before their lips touched however the bell of a nearby church rang noon and the Doctor jumped back as if he had been scalded.

"We're late!" he announced and, grabbing her hand again, he ran with her through the streets.

"Late for what?" she called out to him as they rounded a corner.

"Lunch."

They arrived ten minutes later at a tall wrought iron gate with a large "Closed" sign hanging on it. Rose looked around, confused. "Doctor, we're at the zoo."

"I know. Excellent isn't it?" His voice bubbled over with excitement and Rose grinned, despite her confusion.

"They're closed Doctor," she tried again.

"Ah, so it would seem," he said with a grin as he brandished a key from inside his pocket. "But not if you happen to mention Torchwood, Vitex, and Pete Tyler—mostly Pete Tyler." He added after a moment's pause.

"You didn't," Rose moaned, embarrassed that he would use her father's name to get them special privileges.

"Of course I didn't," he answered with a scoff. "Your dad did."

"Dad knew about all this?" she asked, shocked.

"Of course he did. We couldn't get in here without him, could we?" He opened the gate and ushered her in, closing and locking the gate behind them.

"Now," he continued, "if I am right, and I am always right, we need to go this way."

He took her hand and pulled her to the left. He led her to the nearest building, which Rose identified as the aviary before he pulled her in. There, in the center of the aviary, was a blanket and a picnic basket.

She made her way towards the blanket, taking in the displays and exhibits that surrounded her. Rose felt the Doctor's eyes on her as she took in the scene, he had stayed near the door, letting her have a moment on her own to take in the beauty. Rose was surprised to find that one of the curious peacocks that were milling around the picnic area, had not found their way into the basket or set up home on the blanket.

Placed on the basket was a white card. Rose immediately identified it as the Doctor's handwriting and leaned in to read the increasingly familiar note:

_On the fourth day of Christmas the Doctor gave to me, a picnic with peacocks._

Rose surveyed the note again and turned to the Doctor questioningly. His eyes begged for approval and he asked in a quiet voice, "Do you like it?"

She smiled, nodded, and turned to him. He had gone to so much trouble to give her a spectacular Christmas that she felt herself overwhelmed with emotion for this man. She hugged him, and tried to convey all the love that she felt towards him in that one embrace. "Thank you," she whispered, kissing him softly.

"You're welcome, Rose Tyler," he said after she broke of the kiss. "Now, I do believe that we should tuck in before the birds decide that our meal is more preferable than the seed I left out for them."


	6. Chapter 6

**Five Gold Rings**

Rose's breath was fogging up the car window as she watched the lights of London's streets pass by. They'd just landed back in Britain and were heading to the Doctor's flat to order some take-away for dinner. She smiled contentedly as she thought of her time in Paris with the Doctor. They'd only been there for two days, but the Doctor had made sure they were full and exciting days. He'd taken her to the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and the Mona Lisa (they'd received many strange looks from other tourists as the Doctor regaled Rose with stories of the time he'd spent as Da Vinci's apprentice). But he'd also taken her to that amazing picnic and on sunset walks along the Seine. It was the most romantic time they'd spent since they were brought together.

She glanced to her right to look at the object of her reflection. He was wearing his specs and was concentrating on the road – he was a better car driver than TARDIS driver, but only just. As if sensing her eyes on him, he glanced her way and smiled. Rose felt a flush steal across her face as she smiled back. She turned to look back out the window and felt a little shiver of excitement over what she thought today's gift might be. She was well onto his pattern now, and she knew what the traditional gift was for the fifth day of Christmas – what better prelude to a proposal than a romantic weekend getaway to Paris? A week ago she would have thought she wasn't ready for this step, but now she knew that she was – that they were. She felt a giddy excitement welling within her as the Doctor pulled into the drive for his flat.

***

"Alright, Rose," the Doctor said as they entered his flat and he tossed his keys onto the entryway table. "You know where the take-away menus are; lady's choice tonight. Call and order from wherever you like. I'm just going to put my overnight bag away and check the phone for messages. Then I think there's still a gift owed for today."

He winked at her and didn't miss how she blushed at his mention of the gift. She looked suddenly nervous and, despite her smile, she kept rubbing her hands up and down her thighs as if she didn't know what else she should be doing with them. She recovered quickly, though, and started toward the kitchen calling back over her shoulder something about tapas.

He headed into his bedroom, stopping to check the message light on the phone in his office – no messages, good. Entering his room, he tossed the overnight bag on his bed and walked over to his wardrobe. He sat cross-legged on the floor and opened the drawer at the bottom of the wardrobe. He smiled at the stack of envelopes hidden there. He'd been determined to make this the best Christmas Rose had ever had and he was delighted that she seemed to be enjoying everything so far.

He reached into the drawer and pulled out the envelope on the top of the stack, weighing it in his hand for a moment before setting it on the floor next to him and removing a small velvet pouch from the drawer. He pulled open the drawstring and tipped the pouch over, emptying the platinum and diamond ring into his palm. He'd spent almost his entire first paycheck from the university as the down payment on this gift. He'd not known at the time when he'd give it to her, when they'd be ready; they'd still been very much trying to find their way together at that time. They were still working on that, but they'd come a long way and the Doctor thought, as he held the ring up to the light to admire the sparkle and the inscription he'd had engraved, that they were ready for this next level of commitment. He shook his head in slight disbelief at how much he was looking forward to spending the rest of his life with her, now that he actually could.

He heard Rose call to him from the hallway, sounding curious as to what was taking him so long. He looked at the ring again, considering. He'd never planned on giving her the ring today, but his Rose was a clever girl and he had a suspicion that she was anticipating this gift. Before he could over-analyze the situation or be caught by Rose with the ring in his hand, he hastily put the ring back in the pouch and hid the pouch back under a pair of socks in his drawer. He grabbed the envelope off the floor and stood up, kicking the wardrobe drawer shut as he turned to leave the room. He felt they were ready, but not tonight.

***

Rose set the last take-away container on the coffee table and leaned back on the couch, closing her eyes contentedly. "I am stuffed!" she declared.

She heard the Doctor chuckle from the end of the couch; she opened her eyes and turned to look at him.

"It's a good thing we came here for dinner," he said, smiling good-humoredly. "If I'd dropped you at home and you'd eaten like that, Jackie would have been on the phone to yell at me about not feeding you in France."

She stuck her tongue out at him playfully and moved to the other end of the couch, turning her body so she could stretch her legs out along the length with her feet resting on the Doctor's legs. He began gently rubbing her feet and they sat in companionable silence for a few minutes. Rose let her eyes drift close and her head drop back to rest on the arm of the couch. She'd noticed the Doctor watching her carefully as they'd eaten dinner, his quiet contemplation of her making her even more eager for the day's gift.

As if hearing her thoughts, the Doctor broke the silence in the room.

"I suppose I better give you your gift for today, before you fall asleep on me."

She opened her eyes and lifted her head to find him looking at her very solemnly. She swallowed nervously and noticed that his gaze intensified a bit. He didn't miss a trick, did he?

"Okay." She spoke quietly, sitting upright and curling her legs underneath her as she moved to the middle of the couch and closer to the Doctor.

He regarded her very seriously for a moment, almost as if he was contemplating what to say or do. Finally, he reached into the couch cushion behind him and pulled out another white envelope, like all the others. He never broke eye contact with her as he held the envelope out and said in a quiet and very serious voice, "Happy fifth day of Christmas, Rose Tyler."

Rose tried not to let her hands shake as she took the envelope from him and turned it over in her hands. She finally dropped her gaze from his so she could open the envelope and remove the card. Inside were two tickets and another note:

_On the fifth day of Christmas, the Doctor gave to me: five Olympic rings (sort of)._

Rose stared blankly at the card for a moment before turning her attention to the tickets in her other hand.

"Since we didn't get to this event at the 2012 Olympics in London back in the old universe," the Doctor explained quietly. "They're all-event passes for the women's gymnastics competitions for the next Olympic games."

Rose forced a small smile, feeling a bit fake and shallow as she did so. This really was an amazing gift, and she had been disappointed that they'd not made it to gymnastics events before, but she couldn't help feeling disappointed that the gift wasn't a ring of the more traditional sort. She heard the Doctor's voice as if from very far away.

"You don't like them?"

Rose forced herself back to the moment and gave him a smile that she knew he'd see right through. "No, they're great! Really, they are." She looked back down at the tickets, finding it too difficult to look at him.

"Rose," he said, reaching a hand out to rest on her knee and lowering his head so he could see her face. "Remember Clause 2 of the Doctor-Rose Treaty. You're not telepathic and neither am I, anymore. No keeping our feelings from each other. If something's bothering you, you need to tell me so we can talk about it. I want to know."

Rose couldn't help a little laugh at his mention of the agreement they'd made back when they were still struggling with getting to know each other again and the Doctor was learning how to live his new half-human life – their "Dark Days" as they now jokingly referred to them. The Doctor had brought up the idea for a written agreement out of the blue one day and Rose had rolled her eyes a bit but gone along, thinking it would be a bit of a lark. Surprisingly, though, it had done wonders for their relationship and they now quite often found themselves quoting clauses at each other when they knew there was something that needed discussing. She set the tickets and envelope on the coffee table, sighed and forced herself to look at him.

"No, they really are great. Thank you. You know I've always wanted to go to the Olympics and I wouldn't want to go with anyone but you. It's just…." She trailed off, not sure how to finish her thought without sounding petty or self-important.

"You were expecting something different?" The Doctor said quietly, in an understanding voice. His voice may have asked a question, but his eyes made clear he already knew the answer. He reached forward to take her hands in his and said, with a small smile, "Something circular and metal, perhaps, with a shiny stone?"

Rose looked away, embarrassed to be caught out. "Maybe," she admitted.

When the Doctor didn't say anything, Rose looked back up at him and felt her heart leap into her throat. He was looking at her with a raw emotion that she didn't think she'd seen since he offered her the rest of his life that day at Bad Wolf Bay. He was taking very deep and slow breaths, as if trying to calm himself. Finally, he swallowed and spoke.

"Would you have been ready to take that step with me, if that had been the present tonight?"

"Yes, I would," Rose answered without hesitation.

As if a switch had been flipped, the Doctor blinked and broke into a dazzling grin; the raw emotion in his eyes was replaced with a mischievous glint. "Very good to know! But really, Rose Tyler, a ring would have been so predictable and obvious, and where's the fun in that?"

Rose rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to reply that she would have a thought a ring would have been plenty of fun, but the Doctor kept right on talking.

"Besides, I shouldn't bother with the other seven days if I'd given you a ring today, should I? I mean, really, how do you top that even once, must less seven more times? I mean, I can't set myself up for failure like that, now can I?"

He finally had to stop for a breath and Rose took advantage of the momentary pause to lean in and give him a kiss.

"Shut up," she teased, before adding more seriously. "I really do love the tickets. And I really am ready to be with you always."

Rose felt her body flush with heat as the Doctor's eyes darkened with emotion. He moved his hands to her back, pulling her to him for a very thorough kiss. He broke the kiss and Rose rested her head on his shoulder, snuggling her body against his. He lightly stroked his fingertips up and down her arm and said, in a voice so soft she almost missed it, "That's very, very good to know, Rose Tyler."


	7. Chapter 7

**The Sixth Day of Christmas**

Rose woke the next morning with a stretch and a yawn and sleepily rolled to her side to check the time on her alarm clock. Except, where the alarm clock normally was she instead found a stack of old leather-bound books. She opened hers eyes fully and lifted herself up on her elbows to look around, momentarily disoriented and alarmed. As the grogginess of sleep left her, and the room around her came into focus, she silently laughed at herself for her distress. She just wasn't accustomed to waking up at the Doctor's flat.

She'd certainly stayed here before, but only a handful of times. He'd been living at the mansion with Rose and her family for so long that they'd both agreed when he rented this flat that he needed some time in his own space. She looked to her left to see if she'd woken him, and wasn't entirely surprised to find that his side of the bed was empty, the duvet neatly pulled up to the pillow. She could hear the Doctor padding around the flat, but could tell from the angle of the light coming through the windows that it was still very early in the morning. She needed to go into work today for at least a few hours before tonight's big New Year's Eve celebrations, but decided to snuggle back in the blankets – just for a few more minutes.

She was woken up some time later to the Doctor singing, loudly and a bit off-key, as he entered the room.

"Ohhhh, what a beee-utiful mornin'!" The Doctor sang as he neared the bed. Rose burrowed deeper into the blankets, pulling the duvet up over her head and biting back a laugh at his over-the-top treatment of the song.

"Oh, what a beautiful day," the Doctor continued, in a sweeter and truer tone. Rose felt something large and heavy set in the middle of the bed and pulled the duvet down just enough to peek out over it at the Doctor's smiling face.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said, bending down to kiss the top of her head. "I've made breakfast, if you'd like to sit up and share it with me."

Rose pulled the duvet down a bit more and was met with the delightful aroma of eggs and coffee.

"Mmm, smells heavenly," she said as she sat up fully in bed and rubbed her eyes to wake more fully. "Thank you."

When the Doctor didn't answer, she looked at him and was surprised to find him just staring at her. His eyes were dark with an emotion that she couldn't quite identify. It could be longing. Or maybe she had a giant spot on her face.

"What is it?" She asked as she ran a hand self-consciously over her face and into her hair.

Her voice seemed to have broken some sort of a spell; the Doctor blinked and shook his head slightly before replying.

"I was just thinking of how lovely you look first thing in the morning, especially in my bed." he said, his voice very serious. He regarded her for another few moments before smiling and moving the breakfast tray to her lap.

"Breakfast, milady."

Rose looked down at the tray and felt her jaw drop. There was an omelette, a pile of scrambled eggs, and a fried egg, as well as wheat toast, orange juice, and coffee.

"I can't eat all that!" she protested.

"I should certainly hope not!" the Doctor replied as he walked around the bed to sit down next to Rose. He leaned in toward her and took two forks off the tray, handing one to her. "They're for us to share."

"Thank goodness for that!" Rose laughed as she playfully clinked her fork against the Doctor's before stabbing it into some of the scrambled egg. The Doctor made an excellent breakfast and they ate quietly for a few minutes, stealing small glances at each other. Rose still felt badly about her initial reaction to the tickets last night, and felt the need to let him know.

"I'm really sorry about last night, y'know." She said quietly, looking down at her hands.

"Rose, you don't—" the Doctor started, but Rose cut him off, looking up to hold his gaze.

"No, I do. The tickets are wonderful. Everything you've done for me this Christmas has been wonderful. I feel like I disappointed you last night, and I don't want you to think I don't appreciate everything you're doing." She spoke in a rush, wanting to say everything before she lost her courage.

The Doctor turned toward her and raised his right hand to cup her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, before confessing softly, "I love you. I want to be with you. I want to take that next step with you."

She felt the Doctor brush his lips against hers in a soft kiss. He pulled back and rubbed his thumb along her cheek until she opened her eyes to look at him. When she did, he gave her a small smile.

"I love you, too, Rose Tyler. And I meant what I said that day in Norway. I'll spend the rest of my life with you, if you like."

Rose felt tears well in her eyes as she smiled and nodded. "I would like, very much."

The Doctor smiled warmly back at her and shifted back on the bed a bit. Just as she had last night, Rose had the feeling that he was contemplating some action or words. She felt her heart skip a beat as she thought perhaps he might propose right here, right now. But instead, the Doctor glanced at his watch and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Look at the time! You're expected at work in 40 minutes. I'm still not used to this losing track of time thing. Finish up your gift and pop in the shower. I'll pack you a lunch and drive you to work."

Trying not to sound too disappointed, Rose asked, "My gift?"

He nodded at her breakfast tray. "Look under your plate."

She lifted up her plate and found the familiar white envelope. She opened it and read the note inside:

_On the sixth day of Christmas, the Doctor gave to me: a six-egg breakfast (to share)._

***

The Doctor opened the door to his flat after dropping Rose at work and tossed his keys on the entryway table. He shucked his coat and tossed it over the back of the couch as he walked through the living room and into his bedroom. Sitting on the floor, he opened his wardrobe drawer and pulled out the velvet pouch containing the ring.

Rose had been quiet and a bit withdrawn on the ride into work. He knew she felt badly about wishing yesterday's gift had been a ring instead of the tickets. And he did want to give her the ring. In fact, seeing her in his bed this morning, and hearing her say that she wanted to spend her life with him, he'd almost pulled open the drawer and popped the question right then and there.

He weighed the velvet pouch in his hand. He'd made her wait so long before she'd finally heard him say "I love you." When he made this declaration, he wanted it to be just right. But he also knew he didn't want to wait much longer. He was growing just as impatient as she seemed to be.

He tucked the velvet pouch into his trouser pocket, deciding that he'd know when the time was right and wanting to be prepared for when that time arrived.


	8. Chapter 8

The now familiar white envelope, with her name messily scrawled across the front, was taped to her computer when she came back from a rather dull afternoon briefing. The work had piled up on her desk after their time in France and despite the full day she had put in at the office yesterday she was still behind. The Doctor had groused about her going into work on New Year's Day but she'd reminded him that Torchwood never closed and that not everybody enjoyed the generous holiday schedule of a university professor. She'd not gotten through half of her work, and was preparing for another night curled up on the couch at the Doctor's flat, working on past due reports while the Doctor told her the inaccuracies portrayed in the movie he had chosen for the night. Seeing the envelope gave her hope, however, that the note inside would inject some life into her rather mundane evening plans.

_On the seventh day of Christmas the Doctor gave to me, seven swans a dancing. __We've tickets to the ballet tonight, I'll pick you up at seven so leave the paperwork and get home._

Rose smiled and glanced at the clock. It was only four, she could easily work another hour before heading home to get ready. She sat down at her desk and unlocked the computer, hoping to get through the flood of email in the next hour that had accumulated over the past few days.

As she clicked on the first email her screen went black. _No, no, no_, she thought and started randomly clicking keys, hoping for some response. Nothing. She reached for her phone to call tech support, but before she could dial the number a message popped up on her dead monitor. Rose read what was on the screen.

_Tsk. Tsk. I told you to leave the paperwork and go home. This__,__ Rose Tyler, is a clear violation of Clause 3__,__ subsection 17 of the Doctor-Rose Treaty, which I do have in my possession,__in which you promised to put me before work. Now get home, I promise everything will be here when you get in tomorrow__._

Rose wasn't sure if she should be angry or amused. He had kicked her off her computer and told her to go home, which was so very much like the old him, knowing what was best for everyone around him. It drove her out of her mind. Yet, at the same time, only her Doctor would sabotage her work space in order to make her take a break. But how had he gotten in? Physic paper or not, he could not get around Torchwood without permission and an escort. He had tried once, an attempt that ended up with him at gun point and Rose trying to convince an over-eager security guard that he was not a threat.

She punched some more keys, hoping that she might be able to circumvent his control over her computer. She had files that she needed. Files she had planned on going over tonight. Files that the Doctor was keeping her from.

The amusement she felt before ebbed away and anger won out. She picked up her phone to call him, but thought better of it. He had had help on the inside and there was only one person who would have helped. And since the Doctor wasn't here for her to be angry at, she decided that her partner would be the next best thing.

Deciding not to call ahead, Rose marched into the office adjacent her own, throwing the door open. She could tell that she had startled him, as he shot her a look of surprise. But then he smiled at her and turned back to his phone conversation, ignoring her. Rose stood, her arms crossed and a disgruntled expression on her face. She'd wait until he was done.

Finally he clicked off the phone conversation and turned to her. He leaned forward, placing his forearms on the desk and, with a smug smile, asked, "Something I can help you with, Rose?"

"You let him in." Her voice was tinged with anger, she would not allow Jake's easy going manner to get him off the hook this time.

"By him you mean…. ?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

"Don't start with me, Simmons," she nearly shouted, her fury growing with him. "I have a pile of work on my desk that needs to be taken care of and I don't have time for games, from him or from you."

"Is that what you think this is, Rose? A game?" Instead of the defensive reaction she had expected, his voice was full of disappointment. Then, more quietly he asked, "Do you really think the Doctor would do that to you?"

She shut her eyes against his disappointment and felt her anger ebb away. She really had no right to be angry, she knew that. The past week had been wonderful, but ever since their talk yesterday she had felt that something was wrong.

"I just don't know, Jake," she said dropping into the chair in front of his desk. "This past week has been amazing, one delightful surprise after another. But there is something he is holding back. He told me yesterday that he is willing to spend his life with me, but there is no talk past that. I try to bring it up but he is vague. There are days, Jake, that I am not sure just being with him will be enough. I want more. I need more."

"You'll get more." Jake sounded so sure that Rose felt compelled to believe him.

"You really think so?" she asked, letting a bit of hope creep in.

"I don't think so, I know so," he answered, leaning back in his chair and smiling smugly. "Rose, that man would do anything for you. You know that right?"

"I suppose," she answered a bit petulantly.

"You suppose? Honestly Rose, I feel like we've taken a huge step back here. You haven't sounded this uncertain since right after he got here. I thought things were getting better?" he questioned and Rose could feel her friend's concern.

"They are," she hastened to assure him. "It's just me being a first class idiot. Mickey would be proud." She added with a cheeky grin.

"Yeah, he would." Jake laughed.

"Really though Jake," she added after a brief pause, "I have so much work today. First Christmas, then Paris, I don't have time to take off early today."

"Rose, you have rarely taken personal time in the four years that you have been here. I think that Torchwood can live without you for a few hours."

"Like you could live without me while I was in France?" she teased.

"Totally different circumstances," he answered, waving off her concern. "Look, if I were you I wouldn't come back until Monday. Make a long weekend of it. You know you have the time and I don't think the director is going to care. Just let go, enjoy this time. The work will be here when you get back."

Rose smiled feeling herself give into to his demands. "What did I ever do to deserve you?" she asked, smiling at her partner and friend.

"Just got sucked into a parallel universe," he answered matching her smile. "Now get out of here."

***

She should have stayed and done the paperwork, Rose thought to herself as she sat in the darkened theater that evening. Even the seven-year-old child seated two rows in front of them was behaving better then the grown man seated to her right. Since the curtain lifted she had dealt with a fidgety, demanding, whiney, and noisy, half-Time Lord. She was wondering why he'd even brought her here.

She had already taken away his mobile, which he had forgotten to switch off; elastics, which he found amusing to shoot at un-expecting patrons; and a ball of twine, which she had no idea what he was going to use it for but knew that the outcome wouldn't be good. Now he was nosily opening a sweet and the woman sitting next to him was glaring at him over her glasses. This was not good. Not good at all.

Rose reached for the Doctor's hand, stilling it. She then looked at him, hoping the unspoken plea would get them through to the interval, and after that she might be able to persuade him that she was tired and that they should leave.

"Rose," he whispered, rather loudly considering the looks that those around them were giving him.

She ignored him, hoping that he would get the hint.

"Rose," he tried again, this time louder.

She closed her eyes and tried counting to ten, hoping that the action would stop her from doing something that she might regret, like dragging him out by his ears.

"Rose, if you don't open your eyes you won't be able to see the ballet." Even with her eyes shut she could tell that he had a grin on his face.

She suppressed a groan and tried counting to twenty.

"Rose, are you okay?" his voice was full of concern and worry and she did feel herself soften.

She opened her eyes and looked at him, her Doctor. His face was full of worry and concern, he still had hold of her hand and he was gently rubbing her knuckles with his thumb.

She felt a powerful and overwhelming love for the man sitting beside her, fidgeting and all. And, despite the concerns she had aired with Jake this afternoon, she knew beyond reason she could not live without him. She would take whatever he had to offer her, if it was marriage or if it was simply a life shared, all that mattered was she was with him.

Rose brought her free hand up to his face, tracing the lines of worry that were on his brow. No longer caring that they were in public or that they had already irritated the people sitting around them, she leaned up and brushed a soft kiss across his lips.

"I'm just fine," she answered softly.

"Good," he replied, smiling broadly.

She turned back to the ballet, his hand still clutched in hers. He'd managed to sit quietly for almost two whole minutes when she again heard him trying to open a sweets wrapper, this time with only one hand. This time she simply smiled and leaned over to ask if he was willing to share.


	9. Chapter 9

**The Eighth Day of Christmas**

"Pack your bag, Rose, we are taking a country jaunt." The Doctor called out as he flung open the door to her room. Rose let out a shriek, grabbing the towel that she had shed moments earlier.

"Bad time?" the Doctor asked, quirking his eyebrow with pleased amusement on his face.

"You think?" she asked incredulously, clutching the towel tighter but grinning back.

"Ah, Rose," he said with a wink before laying down on her bed, a clear sign that he wasn't leaving, "you can carry on, don't mind me one bit."

She laughed and perched on the bed beside him, letting the towel drop just a bit.

"Why, Ms. Tyler," he asked, his eyes darkening, "are you trying to seduce me?"

"Always," she answered, leaning forward to kiss him.

"Your mum is downstairs," he protested weakly.

"That's never stopped you before," she answered.

They broke apart from each other after a moment, and Rose rested her forehead on his and grinned, "Now, what were you saying when you barged in here?"

He looked at her with a dazed grin, "Hmm."

Smiling, she got off the bed and went to her wardrobe to grab a dressing gown. "You mentioned something about packing a bag."

"Ah, yes." The Doctor sat up and began rummaging through his trouser pockets, looking for something. She noticed his hand stilled for a moment and he looked contemplative, stopping to look up at her before shaking his head and searching another pocket.

Finally he pulled out a slightly crumpled white envelope and handed it to her.

"My gift?" she asked coyly.

"Well, not so much your gift, but a note telling you about today's gift," he answered cheekily.

Rose shook her head and hoped that it would be something that he would enjoy too. Last night had been a near disaster, and she was amazed that they hadn't been escorted out; it wouldn't have been the first time such a thing had happened.

"Open it, Rose." His voice was soft as he pressed the envelope into her hands.

She opened the envelope and found this day's note:

_On the eighth day of Christmas, the Doctor gave to me a day out in the country._

Rose looked up at him, "So, we going away again?"

"If that's all right," he answered hesitantly, his eyes on her. He added hurriedly, "I talked to Jake and he assures me he will not allow aliens to invade during the next 24 hours."

Laughing, Rose approached him. "It sounds brilliant."

***

Three hours later they were strolling through a church charity bazaar, hands clasped, occasionally stopping to examine something that caught their eye. The Doctor had taken her to a small village about an hour outside of London where he had found a small bed and breakfast where they were to stay for the night.

The elderly woman who owned the establishment had directed them here, explaining that there wasn't much to do in the town during the winter. She hinted that most people arrived in the summer to take in the farmer's market and other outdoor activities. But the Doctor had simply smiled, taken the room key, and wished her a pleasant day.

"Rose, look at this," the Doctor exclaimed and pulled her towards a booth that was full of handmade quilts.

"You know, I think this had to be created by the inhabitants of Sorkin Five," he said excitedly and lifted the quilt up for closer inspection. "What do you think, Rose?"

"Says here," she answered, "it was handcrafted by the Sunset Women's Guild."

"Hmph," was the only response she got as he continued fingering the material. Then, before she could stop him, the Doctor lifted the quilt up, sniffed it and then licked it. Rose wasn't sure who was more horrified, herself or the gray-haired woman who was staffing the booth. With apologies and what she was sure was a look of mortification on her face, Rose tugged him away from the quilt and back into the mainstream of people.

"A bit of copper in the taste, that's not normal is it?" the Doctor asked still tasting the quilt on his tongue. "You know, Rose, you ought to call Jake up to investigate. Sorkinians are usually peaceful, but…."

"Doctor, can I ask you something?" she asked, hoping to distract him from the quilt out of concern that he might turn around and go back to the booth to further mortify the woman with crazy questions about alien planets.

"Of course," he said, finally looking away from the quilt booth and looking at her.

"Well," she started, "it's about the gifts."

"What about them?" He was smiling but she could sense the sudden shift in his attitude. He seemed to be wary of her now.

"Just wondering how today fits into the song." When he looked at her blankly, she continued. "Well, day one you gave me bananas and a Partridge Family CD—"

"Which we haven't listened to yet," he interrupted. "Hey, you didn't bring it with you, did you? It would excellent driving music for the way back."

"No," she laughed, "I did not bring it with me. But that's the thing Doctor, day two instead of two turtle doves, I get two dove chocolate turtles. Day three, three nights in Paris -- obviously going along with three French hens."

"Yes, I know." He cut her off before she could continue with the explanation, and she saw him eyeing the quilt booth again.

"Then what does a day in the country have to do with day eight?" she quickly asked.

"Cows," he answered simply.

Rose stared at him for a moment, wondering if it was possible the Doctor had lost his mind. "What?" she asked.

"Cows, Rose, live in the country," he replied slowly as if explaining a difficult concept to one of his students.

"And maids," he continued, "milk cows in the country. Any other questions, Ms. Tyler?"

"Shut it you," she said, grinning.

"Good. Now, I suggest a phone call in to Torchwood. I think our quiet evening just took a different turn," he said glancing back at the booth again, where a security agent was now standing and talking with the older woman. Both of them were looking their way.

"I have a better idea," Rose answered, slipping her hand into his. "Doctor, I suggest we run."


	10. Chapter 10

**Ninth Day of Christmas**

The dress was midnight blue silk with an A-line skirt falling to just below her knees and soft pleats gathering in on one side. The neck line was modest, no more daring then some of the tops she wore to work, but seemed more feminine and sexy. The heels that accompanied her dress were sandals which fastened above the ankle. Faux jewels lined the front strap and the sides. She gazed at the gifts with surprise and then looked back to the only other occupant in the room.

"This is too much," she said quietly.

"Rose, the man has taken you to Paris, bought you tickets to the Olympics, and sent you a lorry full of bananas but you think a dress and a pair of shoes are too much?" Jackie asked incredulously, as Rose continued to run her fingers up and down the fabric.

The box had been on Rose's bed when she had arrived home from her country adventure with the Doctor. Her mind went back to his cryptic answers as she tried to figure out what he had planned for tonight. When she asked how she should dress, he had simply smiled and said not to worry about it. And when he dropped her off at the mansion he had kissed her brow, told her the day's gift was upstairs, and mentioned he'd be back to pick her up at about eight.

The moment she'd walked in the house, her mother had pounced on her, going on about how a package had been delivered that day from Harrods for her and was up in her room, and asking her what the Doctor had planned for tonight. Rose answered the best she could as she made her way to her room, her mother following behind her.

"Rose." The concern in her mum's voice got her attention and Rose turned away from the dress and the shoes.

"Why is it too much, sweetheart?" her mum asked.

"He's done so much for me mum, and what have I done?" Rose answered quietly. "I got him a book for Christmas. A book. That was all. And every day, every day he surprises me. It doesn't even matter what the gift is. He's put so much thought into this, and what do I do? I just worry because I keep focusing on the one gift that I want that I haven't gotten."

Rose felt the tears of self-admonishment streaking down her face and she collapsed on the bed, the fabric of the dress never leaving her hand.

"Rose," her mum tried again, the concern now evident on her face. "He wanted to do this."

Rose tried to protest, but her mum quickly put her hand up, effectively silencing her. "No, listen for a minute. He talked to Pete and me 'bout all this before it started. Heaven knows I tried to talk him out of it. Reminding him that he'd have this Christmas hanging over him for the next sixty years." Rose let out a bit of a laugh at that idea; she could just imagine that conversation.

"But," her mother continued, "he didn't care. He told Pete that he had so much to make up for. So you let him do this, Rose Marion Tyler. Don't you take away one bit of this from him."

Rose sat on the bed, her eyes focused on the floor. She had been such a petulant child about so many things. If she needed any more proof that he loved her, here it was, written in today's note. The day's gift was so much more than a dress. So much more than a pair of heels.

_On the ninth day of Christmas, the Doctor gave to me: a night of drinks and dancing._

_I know I never take you Rose, and I'm sorry. Two left feet, me, but I am willing to brave even this bit of public humiliation for you. Just promise me there will be no cameras._

"Now, I'm going to take your bag downstairs and get your things in the laundry," her mother said, her voice more businesslike now. "You need to be ready. Can only imagine the mischief that man will get up to if I leave him alone with your brother for more than five minutes, so I expect you to be down stairs when he arrives. None of this dawdling."

Her mum stood and headed to the door, but paused before she left, turning to look back at Rose. "I can only guess what gift you were expecting, Rose, but really do you need it? That man is devoted to you in ways that the others never would let themselves be. What else matters?"

That question in the air, her mother left her to get ready, shutting the door on her way out. Rose looked at the dress and back to the closed door. Her mother was right. They were well suited for each other, they loved each other, and it didn't matter if she had a ring or not, he was hers.

She picked up the note and read it again, awed that he would do something for her that he hated so much. Somehow she had to show him what this all meant to her. She picked up her mobile and shot him off a quick text, simply stating she loved him, and then headed into the en-suite to get ready for the evening out.


	11. Chapter 11

Quick Note: Words cannot express how much Heather made me laugh with one line in this. I love writing with someone who shares the same fandoms I do. Candy to whoever can guess the line.

**The Tenth Day of Christmas**

Rose was having a hard time concentrating. She and the Doctor had had a brilliant time out on the town the night before; they'd toured at least five different clubs, listening to the live music and dancing and drinking. Rose had decided after her talk with her mum to stop worrying about whether a proposal was on its way and just enjoy her time with the man she loved, and she knew her night had been all the more enjoyable because of it.

The sound of her alarm clock this morning, however, had not been so enjoyable. She'd slapped the snooze button on the offending device so sharply this morning she momentarily thought she'd broken it. She was utterly exhausted and had felt all morning as though she was forcibly dragging herself through her routine. Jake, bless him, had saved her when she arrived at work by sauntering into her office with a mug of the strongest coffee known to humankind. He'd only chastised her for a few minutes for coming in on Sunday when he'd told her to take off until Monday; she cut off his protests by reminding him of the large monthly progress meeting taking place Monday morning and the need to have the field reports completed by then.

She'd spent the next several hours finally catching up on those reports and other paperwork that had been lingering on her desk since before the Christmas holidays and had made a sizeable dent in her workload. She glanced at the clock on her desk and noted with satisfaction that it was nearing five o' clock. She was trying to decide whether to call it a day or try to tackle one more report when her phone rang.

"Tyler," she said as she picked up the receiver and put it to her ear.

"Good evening, Field Agent Tyler," the Doctor's cheerful voice called over the line. "I hope you're finishing up for the evening because I'll be picking you up at six for dinner and today's gift."

Rose leaned back in her chair and crossed her right leg over her left, grinning.

"I suppose I could finish up by then, especially if doing so will prevent another hijacking of my computer," she replied coyly. "What fantastic surprise do you have for me tonight?"

"We're going back to the theater," he announced proudly.

Rose felt all the colour drain from her face as she sat forward in her chair again. She opened her mouth to speak but no sound came out. She stared dumbly at the phone for a moment.

"Rose?" The Doctor's questioning voice came through the receiver. "You still there?"

She swallowed and said, with trepidation, "You're not taking me to the ballet again, are you? I love you for taking me to Swan Lake, but I really don't think I can sit through a repeat of you being fidgety and getting death glares from little old ladies for two hours straight."

"No worries, Rose," the Doctor said with a laugh. "We're doing something much more my speed this time!"

"I'm not sure that reassures me very much," Rose replied cheekily.

"Oi! I have excellent taste in entertainment! Wasn't Ian Drury fantastic?"

"Yes, I'll give you that, once you finally landed in the right time and place – you know, the time and place that wasn't being terrorized by a werewolf!" Rose laughed.

"Cheeky girl," the Doctor teased. "I might just have to take Jackie instead. Or Tony. He'll appreciate the high art that I've selected for the evening."

"I'd pay good money to watch you try and get Tony to sit still for the theater," Rose said. "But I truly cannot wait to see what you've planned for us tonight."

"I'll meet you outside Torchwood at 6, then. So, finish up, and I'll see you soon. Love you."

"You too," Rose replied before ringing off.

The Doctor was leaning against a lamppost, hands inside his trouser pockets and one ankle crossed over the other, directly outside Torchwood's entrance as Rose left work promptly at 6pm. He pushed himself upright as Rose approached and held his elbow out for her take as she walked up to him. He bent down and gave her a quick kiss before leading them down the sidewalk at a brisk walk.

They walked in comfortable silence for several minutes before Rose's curiosity finally got the better of her.

"So, where're we going?" she asked, not bothering to hide her excitement.

"I told you, dinner and the theater," the Doctor replied, feigning ignorance.

Rose rolled her eyes; playing thick really didn't suit him, though he enjoyed trying to pass it off.

"What show are you taking me to?" she clarified.

The Doctor stopped walking and turned to face her, a grin splitting his face from ear to ear. He reached into his coat pocket, pulled out an envelope, and handed it to her. She grinned back as she took it and opened it. Today's note read:

_On the tenth day of Christmas, the Doctor gave to me: ten lords-a-leaping._

_(Well, not really. More like three men in blue face paint being noisy and funny and brilliant.)_

Inside the envelope with the note were two theater tickets. Rose read the marquee information and looked back up at the Doctor, eyes twinkling.

"Yes, Blue Man Group is definitely more your speed," she said with a giggle. "It'll be brilliant."

"Of course it will!" The Doctor said with confidence. "I can't wait to see if this universe's group are aliens, too. Because, you know, Rose, in our original universe, the Blue Man Group were actual displaced aliens from the Donnatella Nebula in the Lyman Galaxy. Everybody on Earth believed that was just face paint, and that them never talking was just a gimmick. But it wasn't. They seemed harmless enough, though, apart from charging exorbitant prices for their tickets, so I decided not to dig too deeply into—"

"Doctor?" Rose interrupted. He arched an eyebrow and closed his mouth, looking at her expectantly. When she was assured he'd be quiet, she continued. "Save the story for over dinner, yeah? I'm starving."

He winked at her and held his elbow out to her again. She tucked her hand in the bend of his arm and leaned into his shoulder as they resumed their walk toward dinner.


	12. Chapter 12

**The Eleventh Day of Christmas**

The white envelope had been sitting on her desk when she'd arrived at work that morning. She noticed it as she was hanging her coat on the back of her office door and made a mental note to ask Jake just when he and the Doctor had become such great mates. She sat down at her desk and turned on her computer, then picked up the envelope. These past ten days had been a whirlwind of fun with the Doctor and, though she was becoming a bit exhausted with all the activity, she also felt a bit sad that tomorrow would be the last day of this amazing Christmas the Doctor had planned for her. She ran her fingers over the messy scrawl of her name on the outside of the envelope before turning it over to open it and remove the note from inside.

_On the Eleventh Day of Christmas, the Doctor gave to me: an evening with the London Philharmonic_

_(Mozart's "Jupiter" Symphony is on the program tonight – it seemed appropriate to me. I'll pick you up at your house at 7.00)_

Rose chuckled as she returned the note to the envelope. She hoped the Doctor could control his fidgeting better at the symphony than he could at the ballet, but she wasn't holding her breath. She tucked the envelope into her purse and turned to her computer to log in. As her calendar for the day popped onto the screen, she groaned at the four different case status meetings and thought to herself that the workday couldn't end soon enough.

***

The concert had been fantastic, and the Doctor had been completely and utterly enthralled. Not surprisingly, he'd traveled to 18th century Vienna and knew enough about Mozart and the Jupiter Symphony to have written the program notes himself. Rose had spent the entirety of the concert tucked under his arm with her head resting on his shoulder as he whispered to her facts and trivia about the composer.

It had been an absolutely delightful evening, so when the Doctor had suggested dessert and a nightcap at the restaurant he'd taken her to on their very first date together in this universe, she'd been all too happy to agree. The Doctor's jovial mood had seemed to wane a bit, though, as he'd driven them to the restaurant. And now, sitting side by side at a small table in the back corner of the restaurant, he was silent. It was still a comfortable silence, but such a dramatic turn from his cheeriness of only thirty minutes previous that Rose wondered if something was wrong.

She took a sip of her wine, using the motion as an excuse to survey the Doctor. He was slouched a bit in his chair, staring at a spot on the floor about six inches past his feet, his expression pensive. His hands were jammed into his pockets and she could hear loose change and his keys and who knew what else jangling as he apparently was fidgeting.

She set her wine glass down and gently rested her hand on his forearm to still his fidgety motion.

"Is everything alright?" she asked quietly.

He lifted his eyes to meet hers and smiled warmly. "Everything's wonderful, Rose. Truly. But I…. I mean, I wanted to…."

He sighed and sat up a bit straighter in his chair, taking his right hand out of his trouser pocket and riffling it through his hair before bringing it to rest on the back of his neck. Rose raised her eyebrows slightly; that behavior always meant that he had something on his mind.

She rubbed her hand reassuringly up and down his forearm, hoping to calm him. "What is it?"

He sighed again and brought his hand down from the back of his neck to cover hers where it rested on his forearm.

"I actually have one more gift that I'd like to give you tonight." He spoke very quietly, and his voice was pitched a bit higher than normal. He sounded nervous and Rose had to bite back the giggle that wanted to escape from her body at the thought of her brilliant and self-confident Doctor being nervous about anything.

"Two gifts in one night?" she said with a grin, "I'm quite the lucky girl."

"Not half so lucky as me," the Doctor said so quietly that Rose almost missed it. Before she could ask what he meant, he spoke again, more loudly, as he looked her directly in the eyes. "Hold out your hand, Rose."

His expression had become somber and deadly serious, and Rose felt that something significant was about to happen. Holding his gaze, she removed her hand from his forearm and turned it so her palm was facing up. The Doctor removed his left hand from his pocket and placed something small and soft in her hand. They sat in silence for a moment, holding each other's gaze and breathing deeply. Rose closed her hand around the object and identified as something velvet.

"Open it, please, Rose," the Doctor whispered a little hoarsely.

Rose looked down at the black velvet pouch in her hand. She felt her breath hitch as an idea came to the forefront of her mind and it was with trembling fingers that she opened the drawstring and tipped the bag over, her left hand waiting to catch the object inside.

She gasped as the stunning platinum and diamond ring tumbled into her palm, and she felt tears instantly well in her eyes. She struggled for something to say, but could only articulate a weak "Oh my gosh" and "It's beautiful".

She looked back up at the Doctor and noted that his eyes seemed brighter than usual as well. He took the ring from her hand and held it up to her.

"I told you on our very first day together that I could spend the rest of my life with you, Rose Tyler. Now I'm asking you properly, will you spend the rest of your life with me? "

"Doctor, I—" Rose began, before her throat went dry and she had to stop to collect her emotions. The Doctor seemed to take her hesitation the wrong way, because he launched into a vintage ramble.

"We don't have to get married right away. I know we're still sorting things out between us, but I've known for ages that I want this. I bought the ring weeks ago and have just been waiting for the right moment. And then you said the other night that you were ready. But if you're not, it's okay. I'll wait. Goodness knows you had to wait long enough for me, so it's perfectly reasonable that—"

"Yes!" Rose finally interrupted, with a laugh and a grin. "Just shut up, because, yes, I want nothing more than to marry you."

The Doctor closed his mouth with an audible click of his teeth and broke into a wide grin.

"That's fantastic," he said. Gesturing to her left ring finger with his hand, he asked, "May I?"

"I think you'd better," Rose replied with a giddy laugh. As he placed the ring on her finger, she leaned in and gave him a long kiss, trying to express her gratitude and love in that simple motion. As she sat back, she held her left hand up to her face, trying to examine the ring more closely in the restaurant's dim lighting.

"The band is engraved," she observed.

"Yes," the Doctor replied quietly.

"It looks a bit familiar," Rose continued, as she studied the markings more closely. She looked back up to the Doctor as the thoughts fell into place, and she spoke quietly, "It's your language, isn't it? From your planet?"

The Doctor gave a small nod. "Yes, it's Gallifreyan. The jeweler thought I was mad when I gave him such a specific design and told him I wanted it on the outside of the band, but he did the engraving anyway."

"It's beautiful," Rose said as she turned her hand to try to catch more of the ambient lighting. "What does it say?"

"Mind you, Time Lords on the whole didn't go for the whole romance idea, but we did have an expression of devotion for those we chose to join our lives with. That's what I had engraved. It says, roughly, 'Bonded to you through all time and space'. I figure I can't give you the space part anymore, but I can give you the time."

" 'S gorgeous," Rose sniffled, as the tears feel down her cheeks. "Thank you."

"You're very, very welcome," the Doctor replied quietly as he pulled Rose to him for a lingering kiss. Rose kissed him back with all the emotion she could muster until a thought occurred to her that made her giggle. The Doctor pulled away and looked at her quizzically.

"What is it?"

Rose wiped the tears from her cheeks and smiled broadly. "My mum is going to have a field day planning the society event of the year for us. She's gonna drive you crazy."

The Doctor gave a dramatic shudder before smiling back at Rose. "I'll endure it; you're more than worth it."

Rose scooted her chair closer to the Doctor and leaned her head on his shoulder. The Doctor wrapped his arm around her shoulder as she resumed examining the ring now gracing her left hand.

"I love you, Rose," the Doctor whispered in her ear.

"Love you, too," Rose replied.


	13. Chapter 13

**The Twelfth Day of Christmas**

"Rose, do you have those reports from Blackman? He said he left them with you."

The voice from the doorway made Rose startle and look up guiltily. She had been trawling the internet for anything wedding: wedding dresses, wedding flowers, wedding cakes, wedding tents, anything. Despite the stack of reports that sat on her desk she found she just couldn't concentrate on anything work-related. She was even contemplating an early lunch to check out a dress boutique when Jake had interrupted her.

"Rose, you with me?" Jake moved further into the office, shutting the door behind him and Rose could sense his concern. "Hey, you okay?"

All she could do was grin. "More than okay, Jake. In fact I would even go as far as to say I am fantastic."

"Okay," her partner answered, still looking and sounding skeptical at her response. "Do you have that report then?"

"Which one?" she asked giggling, gesturing to her desk and the piles of reports that sat there.

Jake's concern seemed to deepen as he moved closer to the desk. "Rose, I want you to think very, very carefully. Did anything strange happen last night? Did you drink anything different? Swallow in any mysterious gasses? Meet anyone that seemed off?"

He was so serious that Rose couldn't control her laughter.

"Okay, that's it." Jake said with authority. "I'm calling the Doctor then taking you down to medical." His voice brooked no argument and Rose forcibly calmed herself down and reached for his hand, preventing him from reaching for his mobile.

"No, Jake. I am fine." At his continued stare of disbelief she added, "Really, I am."

"So you trying to tell me it is everyday that you stare off into space and burst into laughter for no apparent reason?" he asked, skepticism heavy in his words. "Sorry, Rose, not buying it."

He went to remove her hand so he could reach his mobile, and she tried to come up with a way to stop him from his current course without telling him why she was ridiculously happy. She was about to tell him an outlandish lie about a morning program that she found amusing when she felt him still; it was only then that she realized that she was restraining him with her left hand.

His eyes looked down at her hand and after a moment shot back up meet hers. She watched as his face contorted with disbelief, then joy, and then back disbelief, before finally looking back at the ring.

"I never thought…" he stammered, "I didn't think…I mean, I knew eventually he'd get around to it…" Rose giggled again at his disbelieving tone.

She was about to answer him, tell him everything, then beg him to keep quiet as she hadn't told her parents yet when there was a knock at the door.

"Ms. Tyler?" It was Monica, the team's assistant calling.

"Just a mo," Rose answered. Shooting a conspiratorial look at Jake, which she hoped he understood to mean 'Keep your mouth shut about this or else,' she moved to the door and opened it.

"What do you need, Monica?"

"Just a delivery for you." Monica was holding the most gorgeous arrangement of long stemmed red roses that Rose had seen. Each rose stood tall and the red seemed to pop with the greenery that accompanied them. "I think they are from Dr. Noble," Monica added with a grin.

"Quite right too," Rose answered, her eyes never leaving the flowers.

"Should I bring them in?" Monica asked, her voice tinged with amusement.

Shaking her head to clear her mind, Rose nodded as she stepped aside, allowing the woman in. "Just put them on the desk."

"If you can find a place," Jake deadpanned.

Monica found a corner of the desk that seemed to have very little cluttering it and placed the vase down; then she left, giving Rose a knowing smile as she shut the door behind her. Rose sighed, knowing that she would now be office gossip for the rest of the day.

"So, that the final gift?" Jake asked, his voice full of amusement.

"Looks like it. Day twelve and twelve roses. Seems fitting." Her voice trailed off as she searched for the familiar envelope and found it disconcerting when it didn't appear.

"No note." She wasn't aware of voicing this thought until Jake answered.

"Maybe this isn't the gift then."

"You'd know more about that than me," Rose answered, grinning at her now stunned partner. "I've been meaning to ask you, Jake, just when did you and the Doctor become such close friends?"

Jake grinned and cheekily replied, "Well, I do recall a period of time where neither of you were speaking to the other. The man had to vent his frustrations somewhere and I seemed to be the only person in this universe he knew who wasn't related to you."

"I didn't know. Thank you for being a friend to him. Now, what report did you need?"

"Oh no, you aren't getting out of that so easily," he said with a pointed look at her ring. "Grab your coat. We're taking an early lunch."

***

Rose let herself into the Doctor's flat after work and grinned as she heard him banging around in the kitchen. The music was blaring, pots were clattering, and the Doctor seemed to be singing. She put her keys on the entryway table and made her way to the kitchen. She was stopped, however by a stunning bouquet of lilies on the table. Her mum's favorite. Perhaps the Doctor was more nervous about telling her parents than he let on.

"Rose, that you?" His voice rang from the kitchen, still discernable over the din of whatever punk group he had playing.

"It's me," she replied, as she made her way to kitchen.

He stood there, chopping celery to add to one pot or another and she realized that she rarely saw him looking so at ease. He looked up and smiled, setting the knife on the cutting board and moving closer.

"Hello," he whispered, his eyes darkening and his hand taking hers, his fingers immediately going to the ring he had placed there the night before.

"Hello," she responded, stretching up to kiss him.

"Jake phoned," he said when they parted. "I thought we weren't telling people until Jackie and Pete knew."

"He guessed," she answered and moved over to the abandoned celery to continue chopping it while the Doctor moved to check on one of the other boiling pots.

They worked silently together for a few minutes, comfortable in their respective roles.

"Good day at work?" the Doctor finally asked.

"Excellent day," she grinned. "Got your flowers."

"Very good. I hope they weren't too cliché," he said, his voice a bit hesitant.

"Not at all," she answered. After a moment she added, "There wasn't a note though."

"Must have slipped my mind," he replied nonchalantly.

He gave a small, almost unnoticeable smile, as he said it, which Rose took to mean there was more to the story than that. She opened her mouth to press him a bit more but he started talking again.

"Will you check the meat in the oven and then open the wine? Pete and Jackie will be here any minute."

***

The kitchen was clean, her parents packed off for the night with a promise to meet tomorrow to go over plans for the wedding, there was quiet music playing, and she was curled up next to the Doctor on the couch.

"Good day?" he murmured, stroking her hair.

Rose sighed and burrowed furthered into him, "The best."

"Good." He kissed the top of her head and then straightened up. Rose whimpered at the change in their position, but the Doctor simply smiled at her and reached over to where a book lay on the end table.

Rose watched with curiosity as he pulled a white envelope from where it had been marking the pages and handed it to her.

"I believe," he said, his voice heavy with emotion. "I owe you this."

Rose simply nodded, aware of the sudden change in the atmosphere.

She fingered the envelope, the last one of her Christmas season, and felt a sadness overwhelm her. There would be no more daily romantic surprises. No more white envelopes. No more hastily scrawled names or crazy antics. Tomorrow morning she would get up and head to work and resume her daily routine. She wished there was some way to catch the magic of the holiday. To find ways to extend this gift, but as with everything, this too ended.

Then she noticed the light glinting off her ring. _No not an ending,_ she thought to herself, _but a beginning. _

Smiling, she opened the envelope, her mind once again reviewing the past few days. On Christmas morning she had been disappointed to find only a card with a cryptic note from the Doctor. Now, twelve days later, she had everything that she had ever wanted and so much more.

There was more than one piece of paper in the envelope. She pulled them all out and read the note on top.

_On the twelfth day of Christmas, the Doctor gave to me: 12 long stemmed roses and twelve pages of sentiment._

She looked up to find the Doctor watching her closely. She smiled and shuffled the note to the back of the sheaf of pages, looking back down to begin reading the letter that was the last of her gifts.

_Rose, Donna told me once that I talk all the time and never say anything important. Well, this is me trying to make up for that. Because it does need to be said and it needs to be said often. You, Rose Tyler, are brilliant. You make me better. You make me want to be better. _

Rose felt tears swelling in her eyes as she read the words of love, commitment, and adoration the Doctor had penned for her. There were recollections of the day they met, moments that were so key to their relationship. There were stories that he never had shared with her before, like the day he realized he was in love with his pink and yellow companion, and how it hurt when they had said goodbye; his joy at finding her again, his faith in her, and his astonishment that she could ever love someone like him.

Feeling the weight of the Doctor's stare on her she reached out to take his hand as she continued reading. She was overwhelmed by the raw emotion that she found in the letter and as it came to a close she searched out his face. Words seemed inadequate. She simply took him in, her Time Lord. Hers from the moment he said run.

She reached out to cup his face and he leaned into her touch. Slowly she leaned up and placed a gentle kiss on his lips, knowing there was no possible way to express her feelings towards him.

"Merry Christmas, my love." She finally muttered.

"Merry Christmas, Rose Tyler."


End file.
